EDUCATION

30 WAYS TO APPRECIATE TEACHERS ON TEACHERS’ DAY

The World Teachers’ Day (October 5) is almost here again, and it is a day to, among other things, commend teachers for their role and to their role. It is an opportunity to lend some more credence to the ideals of the profession — by those in it and those that derive benefit from it, I mean, all of us. Everyone (including teachers themselves) can chip in a gesture for the teaching profession and its professionals.

In what ways therefore can teachers be appreciated to mark the World Teachers’ Day? Note that nothing here is binding or compulsory. Appreciation is like a freewill offering. You give it because you want to. But you should wish to do so for teachers because it is in most cases deserved.

Ways to Appreciate Teachers on World Teachers’ Day:

BY STUDENTS:

1. Write a short note of appreciation or, if you can, make a craft for your teacher with the inscription, ‘Happy Teachers’ Day.’

2. Have a one-on-one moment with your teacher to say a warm ‘Happy Teachers’ Day’ Let your words convey appreciation and gratitude.

BY PARENTS:

3. Text or call the teacher of your child. Make him/her feel special by your message.

4. Pay a very brief visit to the school to show your appreciation in person. Whether you usually come to the school (to pick your child) or not, the teacher will appreciate the gesture.

5. Nothing wrong in getting a gift for the teacher of your child Again, no teacher has the right to demand anything from any parent, but will a gift freely and willingly given be appreciated by the teacher? Yes, it will.

6. You can make the gift about something that will enhance the teacher’s work or career.A motivational or career-boosting book is a good one. Your child’s teacher will always remember you for it. My book, The Fulfilled Teacher, is a good choice.

SCHOOL OWNERS

7. Let the teachers working for you wake up to see your appreciation message on their phone. Arrive school much early to welcome the teachers to school with a warm handshake and broad smile. Hand them a tag (specially made for the occasion) to wear for the day.

8. Have a ‘Special Guest’ come around to the school to help appreciate your teachers. The guest may be your Spouse (if he/she is not running the school with you), a respected person in society, or an educator. Take the guest to each classroom to have a 2-minute appreciation for the teacher there in the presence of the students.

9. Have lunch with the teachers. Make it a time of celebration that they will not easily forget.

10. Organise an empowerment training for the teachers. Get a good trainer/facilitator that can deliver the goods.

11. Get each teacher the gift of a book that can further enhance their career or a special interest they may have. Again, my book, The Fulfilled Teacher, is such a good career building gift.

12. Arrange for students to have presentations (songs, poems, drama) for the teachers. Make them really happy watching those children displaying for them.

13. Arrange to have some of their old students (they had taught in the school) to visit the school. Nothing gladdens the heart of teachers than seeing their products turning up for them.

14. Get a good photographer to come to the school to have a photoshoot for the teachers. Tell the teachers ahead (the women especially) so they can dress and prepare for it. Also, take a group picture with them. And put the picture on social media in celebration of the Teachers Day, tagging each teacher in the picture.

15. Plan with the PTA or/and the alumni of the school for a special event (maybe at a later date) to celebrate the teachers. Ask the teachers to invite their spouse for the event.

ALUMNI BODY

16. Circulate among yourselves phone numbers of your old teachers so as to give them surprise Teachers’ Day calls. It will make their day. Even their week.

17. Have a meeting (maybe online) with your old teachers joining in. Use the opportunity to appreciate them in words and deeds.

18. On Teachers’ Day, add your old teachers to your alumni WhatsApp group and relive old memories with them. By the time you take them off the group after 24 hours, let them feel if they would do it all over again, they would still choose teaching.

LEADERS OF TEACHERS’ UNION, SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATION AND EDUCATION MINISTRY

19. Take it upon yourself to salute teachers under your association, union or ministry. Go official and send out an address or broadcast that every teacher under your umbrella will get through your existing structure. Spell out what The Teachers’ Day is about in your address or broadcast.

20. Pay a visit to a number of schools to personally say Happy Teachers’ Day to teachers. Your presence will tell the teachers you really care about them.

21. Hold a conference (maybe online) that will inspire hope and address the need of teachers. The discourse can be around the theme of this year’s Teachers’ Day.

22. While appreciating all teachers, you can use the opportunity to acknowledge certain teachers that have distinguished themselves excellently. If done well, this will inspire other teachers to work harder.

23. Get creative. Have a media clip or short documentary done, celebrating teachers under your umbrella. Such a clip will in turn be an advertisement for your own association, union or ministry.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

24. Go look (physically or online) for your old teachers and share your social media page with them on that day. Tell the whole world (on social media) how grateful you are for their role in your life.

25. Give your old teacher a surprise call. He/she may not even remember you so well again, but there lies the thrill. Sharing some old memories will make nim/her feel his/her past labour was worth it.

26. If you can’t find your teacher physically or online, post a general message for all teachers. You can use hashtags like #TeacherAppreciationNG . Teachers and like-minded people connected to you would like, share and comment on such.

27. Influencers on social media should put a good comment in for teachers and the teaching profession on their page. It will be great to have Teachers’ Day trend on social media.

TEACHERS THEMSELVES

28. Teachers are not left out. Every teacher was once a student. So, reach out to your own old teachers that are still around .If they are no more, you can still let the world know what they did for you back then. Consciously sow the seeds of appreciation and honour so you can reap such harvest.

29. Celebrate yourself! Put a good picture of yourself on social media with an inscription and a short message that shows you are proud to be a teacher. You will get some comments on that post that will make you happy.

30. Beyond celebrating your own teachers and yourself, send out a general Teachers’ Day greetings to all teachers around the world. Again, you can use hashtags like #TeacherAppreciationNG .

MD Omisore
http://www.smartandbrilliant.com
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